OK, I confess, I cheaped out. I should’ve learned the “buy cheap, buy twice” rule but I fell for it. I’m building a few fairly large built ins that are to be painted. I headed to the Borg mothership, and there next to the baltic birch ply I would normally have bought was some “maple veneer plywood, Paint Grade”. On the surface (literally) it looked pretty good, lots of filled knot holes, but done quite well and muchhhh cheaper so I bought a few sheets. Thank God just enough for the first cabinet.
Upon cutting it, this stuff is loaded with huge voids. And I do mean loaded. I’d estimate 15% of my cuts have exposed voids and of course the majority are just below the face veneer. I’ve been stubborn and have spent hours packing the edges where I hit a void with filler etc when needed rather than toss it all in the dumpster and start from scratch. I can’t truthfully call this stuff “cr*p” as that’s an insult to cr*p, nor the alternative term as that would imply this stuff was once something tasty and it doesn’t deserve that much dignity either. I can’t imagine that the creeps that made this stuff were APA members, nor that anyone would sell this trash for anything even “paint grade”.
OK, so here’s the question. I have a bunch of scrap that shows the voids. Would you bother going back to the Collective and complain or just chalk it up to a stupid move and take your licks? OK… blood pressure subsiding. I feel better now…
PaulB
Replies
I'd be taking it to show them, and make a big , loud stink about it, till I got some moola back.
BTW, when the paint hits them voids under the face veneer...bubble city.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"Sell your cleverness, Purchase Bewilderment"...Rumi
Oh man Sphere... I never thought about that. I'm gonna shoot myself.
I...I...think I'm gonna yak.
Edited 3/14/2005 3:30 pm ET by PaulB
BTDT...Baltic birch is ALL I use now..I don't care about the cost. Now it's available in 4x8 sheets aswell as the 5x5.
That face veneer ya got might be 128th of an inch..or less. It'll bubble like bubble wrap as soon as it swells. And stay goofy forever.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"Sell your cleverness, Purchase Bewilderment"...Rumi
I can't hear you Sphere... I'm huddled in the corner crying.
for paint grade built-ins , all i use is MDO..
baltic birch we reserve for natural finish with exposed edgesMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
I like using MDO too Mike. Main problem is that there isn't a good local source for me. Only local place is HD and they only stock those wierd half sheets.
I'm gonna try an experiment to salvage the 30ish hours I have into this first cabinet. Let you know if it works. If it doesn't, look for my obit.
PaulB
Formica over it, paint the formica..LOL
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"Sell your cleverness, Purchase Bewilderment"...Rumi
We are not amused.
OK, a little...
Well, that sucks!!!
I hope it works out once you get some paint on.
Make as many small scraps out of the little scraps as you can.
Write, Hom D pot shells shid on them and and leave a piece or 2 at the offending pile in the store each time you go visit.
EricI Love A Hand That Meets My Own,
With A Hold That Causes Some Sensation.
[email protected]
LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL me like... me like...
The worst part is that these are for my best friend and his new house...
have faith my brother!
I will send good thoughts your way!
You deserve a few.
EricI Love A Hand That Meets My Own,
With A Hold That Causes Some Sensation.
[email protected]
Thanks Eric,
Likewise! Hope to speak to you soon, enjoyed our chat.
I like the way you think..gonna write myself a note about that..LOL
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"Sell your cleverness, Purchase Bewilderment"...Rumi
Man, sorry to hear about that ply. I hope it turns out OK.
You might want to check out some regular lumber yards in your area for the MDF; mine ( in NJ ) now carries 3/4", 1" and 1-1/2" MDF.
You don't want to know how heavy that 1-1/2" is.
There's a wholesaler of MDO and Plywood that has a branch down in ct. If they have a branch there, they're selling to places some where close to you. Give them a call and see who the retail outfits they sell to are. Also, I would definitely go see that place about the crap they sold you.
Atlantic Plywood (Wholesale distributor)
1590 John Fitch Blvd. S. Windsor, CT 06074800-877-2759 860-291-8020860-291-8014 (fax)
Interesting -- does anyone know a good plywood wholesaler in the Los Angeles area?
-- J.S.
Bounce Gary Katz an email. I asked him some trim question a while back and he got back to me within a day or two. I think he's in the Simi Valley area, and should know the best ones out there.
Thanks DDay, I'll give them a ring.
I gotta find a dist here that carries that, the 4 hour drive to NC gets old fast. Usually have other stuff to do there, it's not like a special trip or anything, but all the same..I need to hook up locally.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"Sell your cleverness, Purchase Bewilderment"...Rumi
Kruse Plastic and Plywood in BlueGrass Industrial Park is my supplier of choice here.
Save you a couple of hours, as they are just off I-64 before you get into Louisville.
Let me know, next time you need some. I'll hook you up with them. Good people.
Dave
Coolest...I need to make a run that way to drop off my laptop at Toshiba...might wanna check it out.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"Sell your cleverness, Purchase Bewilderment"...Rumi
What are you paying for the 4X8s? Here, (here, only 50 miles away here) it's $.35 a square foot higher than buying it 5x5. $35.20 sheet for 1/2" 4x8, kinda pricey?
Here actually it ain't to be had at all, but it's only 50 miles South, and there's usually other things down there too, which actually means the whole day is shot by the time I'm back. Costco, cheap Coronas helps the trip.
Joe H
The last 4x8 I got in NC was summer before last..3/4 BB IIRC was 49.00$...I am headed back in a week or so, Step daughter is moving from LEX to Asheville..I'll always swing in to the Woodwarehouse when I am there..will see what it's running now.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"Sell your cleverness, Purchase Bewilderment"...Rumi
There is no way that that mill is APA. APA only reps softwood mills.
Paul
A lot of that "crap" is coming from China, we get some paint grade birch from there, not the best stuff on the market either.
The stuff we get runs 11/16 ths, real pain in the azz to work with.
You may have to find new best friends if you keep using it!
Doug
This is interesting. I had stripped an old built-in from the bath here (circa 1914) that had been painted with 3 or 4 layers over milk paint (though I didn't know about the milk paint before I started.)
I used infrared heat to strip most of it, and it worked for everything but the milk paint. I finally had to use gel stripper to get the milk paint off.
The front of one of the door panels bubbled just slightly. I don't know how noticeable it is to others, but it is driving me crazy.
I am so bummed out to think that I may have to make new doors. It's right at eye height for me (I'm 5'7") so it isn't something out of the way.
Gah.